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ACP-WGM13/IP-xx
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International Civil Aviation Organization
INFORMATION PAPER / ACP-WGM13/IP-05
20 November 2008

AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)

13th MEETING OF WORKING GROUP M (Maintenance)

Montreal, Canada 18 – 21 November 2008

Agenda Item 2: / Complete the new ATN/OSI Manual, DOC 9880

Status of the MESANGE AMHS Implementation Project

(Presented by Jean-Marc Vacher)

SUMMARY
This paper aims at informing the WGM/13 meeting about the status of the MESANGE AMHS Implementation Project which is currently underway in France and in Switzerland.
ACTION
The working group is invited to support the expeditious publication of the already approved ATSMHS detailed technical specifications in Doc 9880 Part IIB.

1.INTRODUCTION

1.1This paper aims at informing the WGM/13 meeting about the status of the MESANGE project which is currently underway in France and in Switzerland. The French part of the project is integrated in the DSNA Programme named ISOCRATE. The paper confirms the need that Document 9880 Part IIB should be made formally available and published without delay.

2.DISCUSSION

2.1ISOCRATE is the programme launched by DSNA for the migration of the networking environment of the French Air Navigation to IP-based technology, as a reply to the obsolescence of the currently deployed technology, and in line with the overall trends of the telecommunication market and of the aeronautical industry.

2.2The ISOCRATE programme encompasses various projects and tasks :

a)the ORTOLAN project aims at the replacement of the current FDDI and OSI LAN equipment in ATCCs with Ethernet/IP technology. The deployment of ORTOLAN LAN architecture is currently nearing completion in the French ATCCs;

b)the RENAR-IP project aims at the replacement of the current X.25 access packet-switched WAN with IP network services, including services dedicated to radar data distribution using IP multicast. The contract for the provision of the RENAR-IP network equipment was signed at the beginning of 2008, and the deployment and integration of the new network is expected to be performed gradually between 2009 and 2011;

c)the MESANGE project aims at the replacement of the current AFTN/CIDIN message switch with an integrated AFTN/CIDIN/AMHS system operating over TCP/IP. The status of the MESANGE project is further detailed in Section 2.3.

d)the study of the introduction of voice communications above the RENAR-IP infrastructure;

e)a transverse safety and security task.

2.3MESANGE is a joint project by DSNA (France) and skyguide (Switzerland). Considering their common objectives, similar operating methods and identical obsolescence issues, both ANSPs agreed in 2006 to develop a joint project for the renewal of their message switches, in order not to duplicate efforts and to obtain several systems from the selected supplier. Therefore, the goal of the MESANGE project is the replacement of the current AFTN/CIDIN message switches installed in the Bordeaux and Geneva COM Centres, with new message switches including AMHS functionality so as to enable the transition to AMHS. The current systems are now hit by obsolescence and need to be replaced as a matter of urgency.

2.4The scope of the project includes the procurement of AFTN/CIDIN/AMHS message switches, of front end processors for connection of AFTN users (if still needed), of AMHS UAs and of monitoring/ management systems for the whole environment.

2.5In the context of MESANGE, the target protocol architecture to be deployed internationally is AMHS over TCP/IP, in conformance with Doc 9880 Part IIB, with all communication partners having AMHS capability.

2.6An industrial supplier has been selected for the provision of the systems, and the systems are currently under Factory Acceptance Testing. The current project plan aims at starting the operational service of the new systems during the second half of 2009. The first AMHS connection to be established by MESANGE should be between the DSNA and skyguide systems, with a target date of 1st Quarter 2010.

2.7Interoperability tests with other communication partners will start during the second half of 2009 and will continue in 2010. Based on the current status of AMHS projects in other States in the EUR and AFI Regions, these tests should involve between 10 and 20 other States in these Regions, considering that:

  • In addition to Germany and Spain, where AMHS is already in operation, approximately 10 States have declared their intention to start AMHS operation before end 2009;
  • Between 5 and 10 additional States or Organisations have declared their intention to start AMHS operation before end 2010;
  • The target topology in Europe is a fully meshed network at AMHS level;
  • France has the role of inter-Regional Boundary Gateway to the AFI Region, towards States which have also AMHS Projects in progress.
  1. Such interoperability tests should be based upon conformance by the various systems to the formal and official specification contained in Doc 9880 Part IIB. At present, the lack of a formally published up-to-date reference may be hindering interoperability tests and may cause some contractual difficulties between States and system suppliers.
  2. It is therefore essential that the existing Approved Doc 9880 Part IIB be made formally available and published as a matter of urgency.

3.ACTION BY THE MEETING

3.1The ACP WG-M is invited to:

  1. note the information provided about the MESANGE project;
  2. support that the approved Doc 9880 Part IIB be made formally available and published as soon as possible.